Sunday, November 25, 2007
Eating apples.....
Thought you might enjoy what an apple looks like after Ebony has been there.....mind you there is often nothing left!!!
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Happenings
Eb is changing so much and I want to mention some of the things....more for her and for my own records than anything.
The first one isn't too good - yesterday she had a 'Febrile Convulsion' - not something I ever want to live through again. I thought she had a bit of a temperature the day before - but she seemed mostly ok. Then yesterday we went to Speech Therapy first up - and she was fine. After that we bumped into daddy and she was still as excited as she would normally be - then we went to the supermarket and that's where things changed. I had walked around the lake to the Speech Therapist and then I had do everything I had to do by foot with Eb in the pram - not normally a problems at all. The weather up here is VERY warm already and the fly's have to be seen to be believed - so I had the sunshade thingy over Eb in the pram. When I walked into the supermarket I remember her happily saying hello to Wendy in F&V and then we went to the deli (or past it) and I was pleasantly surprised that Eb didn't ask for some ham - but didn't say anything to her. Then Julie - a friend from Church - stopped me and we talked for 2-3 minutes. She went to walk off and she said how Eb was fairly quiet (which happens) - so Julie went to say bye to her. Eb appeared (through the sunshade) to be asleep which I couldn't believe. I lay the pram back down but thought she seemed to be in an unusual position so I undid the cover and immediately I knew something wasn't right - her eyes were (open) glassy and rolling and her mouth was white and she wasn't responding. Julie just said run her straight to the doctor surgery which is fairly close - so I grabbed her out of the pram - left the pram there and ran towards the Doctors. A few people asked if I was ok and I just said I wasn't sure - but luckily one of those people was an Paramedic and he stopped me and looked at Eb and said he felt she'd had a febrile convulsion - whatever that was. He directed me straight to emergency at the hospital (he ended up coming with me). The hospital is almost as close as the Doctors. There they checked her out and confirmed that it had indeed been a febrile convulsion - caused by relatively sudden changes in her temperature. During checking her out they found she had an extremely bad ear infection and that was most likely what had caused it. Eb's ok now - had a bit of an unsettled night and has been a bit fragile, but basically ok. She's back on antibiotics :(
I, however, was a wreck this morning - I literally felt like I'd been hit by a truck. Now I'm starting to feel a bit better, but I never, ever, want to experience that again - although I must say I'd be a bit better prepared.
The second one is REALLY exciting :) (for me anyway!) - for the first time, Eb told me she's done a poo poo! I was so thrilled 'cause I know it's just a glimpse of her starting to understand her body.
This morning she came into bed with me because daddy's away on a 4wd weekend. She had her medication, then her bottle (yes - just the morning one now) and then she just lay there and reached out for my hand and just held it - can you imagine what that did to my heart? It was SO beautiful. My little girl is starting to really love me - I know I've said that before, but I can just sense change when it happens.
She's also starting to recognize numbers one and two. She had 2 drink bottles in her hand today and looked at me and said 'two'. She's a clever little girl! .... although I must say, anything more than two is two too!
She's also learned to say 'bye bye' VERY clearly - it's just the cutest. We were tucking her in for the night and having lots of fun doing so when all of a sudden she waved and said 'bye bye' - I guess that meant she was ready for sleep! She also says 'bye bye' to playschool at the end of the program. She also 'waves' a lot - even as she leaves the room! I happen to have a photo of it actually!
Eb has also learned how to open doors!
She LOVES playing 'peek-a-boo' by just lifting her hands sideways away from her eyes...very cute! She also hides behind pieces of furniture and just appears and disappears...it's just so funny to see.
She speaking the most amazing language now.....I question if some of it is Chinese actually - but it's probably just good 'ol little person gabble. We love it. She wanders around the house talking this funny language...sometimes singing it. How precious.
She's started eating Muesli for breakfast. She seems to love it. She's eating much more in the way of 'normal' food now and I'm soon to start her on the same meals as us. She chewed on her first chop bone very recently too - not that she doesn't have meat - she does and she loves it. It was just the first time for a bone.
We think her face is really changing - it's getting longer and not as round....just like her little body! She's getting much taller - or at least it appears that way....actually I've just checked and she's still 87cm - same as at 2 yo. Yet she seems to be so much taller - maybe she's just thinned out.
Well, I think that's it for now...till next time.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Then it was Meiya's 2nd birthday.....(from Ebby)
Another BIG day - we left Canberra early so we could make it to my batch buddy Meiya's second birthday. She's the 4th one of us to turn two. It was also her 'naming day' and her daddy wrote a really beautiful poem....it went like this.....
We started on a journey filled with hope for those who dare,
To bare their heart and soul and risk elation or despair.
We trudged along the pathway of a seeming endless wait,
We bared our heart and soul but our reward is oh so great.
T’was Guangzhou China, Christmas day, the day we'll ne’er forget,
It’s welded to our hearts, that very moment we first met.
And oh when I first held her and she softly snuggled in,
Arms wrapped around my shoulders head tucked tight beside my chin.
So quietly she lie there not a murmur not a stir,
We’ll never know for certain what this moment means to her.
We’ve travelled our short journey and it’s reached it’s blissful end,
Her life has been a journey one that we’ll not comprehend.
Her silence tells her story well, what thoughts must crowd her mind,
These faces here so diff’rent from the ones she left behind.
Her first days pass in silence as her fingers touch the world,
With ev’ry sight and smell and touch new wonders are unfurled.
We touched the earth in Wutang where her new life made a start,
That piece of earth forever holds a mother’s broken heart.
So many tiny faces stare from cots in Suixi Town,
We’re visiting her orphanage I dare not put her down.
She clings to me, her body speaks the words that she can’t say,
“Don’t put me down, don’t leave me here, for I don’t want to stay.”
We walked right out those open doors and as we walked on through, We left behind that orphanage, she left her silence too.
That night she lay between us and she watched us for a while,
Then placed her hand on each of us and burst into a smile.
Our window’s twenty stories high, the Shanghai lights are bright
I hold her in my arms and we both stare into the night.
We watch the headlights of the cars that hustle through the streets,
We hear the tramps that echo from two billion Chinese feet.
There the peasant, there the rich man, see their pleasure, feel their pain,
All this is yours, your China and we’ll bring you back again.
We can’t foresee your future now or where your heart may roam,
As we watch China fade away and we are flying home.
A year has almost come and gone and oh the things she’s learnt,
We rue her past forgotten may her bridges be not burnt.
We’ll not forget her struggle or the pain that she’s gone through,
But now? We’re just her mum and dad and she’s our Meisie Moo.
It made mummy cry to hear it - I don't understand all that stuff yet. But I do understand party's a bit bet now and this one was really great! Lots of people and lots of fun and lots of yummy food. And! lots of new toys to play with and on. I really loved the car, which mummy will show you with photo's. When we got home, mummy found I had bleeding feet from not holding my feet up when I was being pushed around in the car.....I didn't feel a thing!
My friend Eliza was there too and we had lots of fun together...as we always do. Aislinn was there too - she had been to Canberra and she hadn't been very well - but she's always fun to be around. Meiya was pretty exhausted and she just wanted to play and not be part of all the celebrations...which was fine with me 'cause I got to play with her too! We had so much fun together. It was a great day - but I'm glad to be back home in my own bed again. ....Till next time.
Meisie Moo
We started on a journey filled with hope for those who dare,
To bare their heart and soul and risk elation or despair.
We trudged along the pathway of a seeming endless wait,
We bared our heart and soul but our reward is oh so great.
T’was Guangzhou China, Christmas day, the day we'll ne’er forget,
It’s welded to our hearts, that very moment we first met.
And oh when I first held her and she softly snuggled in,
Arms wrapped around my shoulders head tucked tight beside my chin.
So quietly she lie there not a murmur not a stir,
We’ll never know for certain what this moment means to her.
We’ve travelled our short journey and it’s reached it’s blissful end,
Her life has been a journey one that we’ll not comprehend.
Her silence tells her story well, what thoughts must crowd her mind,
These faces here so diff’rent from the ones she left behind.
Her first days pass in silence as her fingers touch the world,
With ev’ry sight and smell and touch new wonders are unfurled.
We touched the earth in Wutang where her new life made a start,
That piece of earth forever holds a mother’s broken heart.
So many tiny faces stare from cots in Suixi Town,
We’re visiting her orphanage I dare not put her down.
She clings to me, her body speaks the words that she can’t say,
“Don’t put me down, don’t leave me here, for I don’t want to stay.”
We walked right out those open doors and as we walked on through, We left behind that orphanage, she left her silence too.
That night she lay between us and she watched us for a while,
Then placed her hand on each of us and burst into a smile.
Our window’s twenty stories high, the Shanghai lights are bright
I hold her in my arms and we both stare into the night.
We watch the headlights of the cars that hustle through the streets,
We hear the tramps that echo from two billion Chinese feet.
There the peasant, there the rich man, see their pleasure, feel their pain,
All this is yours, your China and we’ll bring you back again.
We can’t foresee your future now or where your heart may roam,
As we watch China fade away and we are flying home.
A year has almost come and gone and oh the things she’s learnt,
We rue her past forgotten may her bridges be not burnt.
We’ll not forget her struggle or the pain that she’s gone through,
But now? We’re just her mum and dad and she’s our Meisie Moo.
It made mummy cry to hear it - I don't understand all that stuff yet. But I do understand party's a bit bet now and this one was really great! Lots of people and lots of fun and lots of yummy food. And! lots of new toys to play with and on. I really loved the car, which mummy will show you with photo's. When we got home, mummy found I had bleeding feet from not holding my feet up when I was being pushed around in the car.....I didn't feel a thing!
My friend Eliza was there too and we had lots of fun together...as we always do. Aislinn was there too - she had been to Canberra and she hadn't been very well - but she's always fun to be around. Meiya was pretty exhausted and she just wanted to play and not be part of all the celebrations...which was fine with me 'cause I got to play with her too! We had so much fun together. It was a great day - but I'm glad to be back home in my own bed again. ....Till next time.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Chinese Embassy Canberra
Once again this was one of those events I'm really glad we went to. It was a fair bit of organising - we left Mt. Beauty Friday lunchtime and drove to Canberra where we stayed in a lovely 'home stay'. Had a bit of trouble finding a place for dinner - but eventually found a lovely pub, although it didn't have highchairs which is such a pain! Here's a photo from the night out.
Saturday we went and did a bit of shopping around Canberra and then took Eb back for a sleep before we went to the Embassy. I dressed Eb up in a traditional Cheongsam and she looked adorable. It was such a great afternoon and evening - we got to meet old friends and make new and even meet some people we'd only ever emailed with. Eb just loved all the balloons and the lovely gift they were given by the Embassy. This is something the do each year simply to thank us for looking after 'their' daughters I guess. They had a dragon dance and the grounds were just beautiful. We'd love to go back next year if we can.
Saturday we went and did a bit of shopping around Canberra and then took Eb back for a sleep before we went to the Embassy. I dressed Eb up in a traditional Cheongsam and she looked adorable. It was such a great afternoon and evening - we got to meet old friends and make new and even meet some people we'd only ever emailed with. Eb just loved all the balloons and the lovely gift they were given by the Embassy. This is something the do each year simply to thank us for looking after 'their' daughters I guess. They had a dragon dance and the grounds were just beautiful. We'd love to go back next year if we can.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Mowing with daddy....
and yes! she does have earplugs in :)
She just LOVES mowing the lawns.... well she loves the ride .....
Friday, November 09, 2007
and then there were three....
....three little girls from Suixi, Guangdong, China that is. Little Camille and Mei (and their mummy's) came to visit. What fun it was. They arrived on Wednesday 7th and left today. It feels very sad to have them gone actually. The house has been filled with fun, giggles and...yes...some crying! But all in all the girls got on very well and I think the big girls had fun too.
They all arrived around lunchtime on Wednesday and we had a pretty low key afternoon and evening (except Ruth and I stayed up too late!). Then on Thursday we took the girls to the property next door where our lovely neighbors - Kent and Sevasti - were so kind to the girls. They opened all the chook/peacock/bantom etc enclosures to let the animals out for the girls to enjoy-they even let them pat the peacock and a baby bantom, not to mention a baby lamb and the alpaca's - they girls had an absolute ball. We fed them all the scraps that I keep and I have a lovely photo to share....
The girls then had a sleep and after that we took them to the Mt. Beauty park (via a walk) and once again they had a great time - it's a really good park for a small town and they all seemed to have good fun together.
Thursday we all had an early night and then Friday we took the girls out for a treat and then went to another park before it was time to go home.
It was such a wonderful time - the girls really did get on well. The weather was good to us and it was just great to see how the girls are growing and developing and the bonds that are forming. I think the mummy's were a bit exhausted - but I hope it was well worth it.
They all arrived around lunchtime on Wednesday and we had a pretty low key afternoon and evening (except Ruth and I stayed up too late!). Then on Thursday we took the girls to the property next door where our lovely neighbors - Kent and Sevasti - were so kind to the girls. They opened all the chook/peacock/bantom etc enclosures to let the animals out for the girls to enjoy-they even let them pat the peacock and a baby bantom, not to mention a baby lamb and the alpaca's - they girls had an absolute ball. We fed them all the scraps that I keep and I have a lovely photo to share....
The girls then had a sleep and after that we took them to the Mt. Beauty park (via a walk) and once again they had a great time - it's a really good park for a small town and they all seemed to have good fun together.
Thursday we all had an early night and then Friday we took the girls out for a treat and then went to another park before it was time to go home.
It was such a wonderful time - the girls really did get on well. The weather was good to us and it was just great to see how the girls are growing and developing and the bonds that are forming. I think the mummy's were a bit exhausted - but I hope it was well worth it.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Where on earth do they learn the things they learn????
I'm in shock - I now have a 'drama queen' in the home!
I have no idea where Ebony has learned it - but she has.
We had a 'difference of opinion' and I had to let her go and work it out on her own.
When I walked back in our room - where she was - she looked up at me with puppy eyes and did a 'mock' dropping of her bottom lip....as if to say 'boo hoo I'm just not happy mummy'. I smiled sweetly at her ('cause I remember only too well what it's like not getting your own way!) and then it happened!!! She put one hand on the bed and then crossed the other one over it and then put her head on her hands....do you get the picture? and to top it off she then let out a short burst of 'crocodile tears'. I stood there totally stunned (whilst trying desperately to stifle my laughter).
Now! I don't do 'drama queen' myself (or at least it doesn't look quite like that :)....so it begs the question - where do they learn things like that?!!! I have no idea, but I must say it was incredibly cute to watch!
Here's a sort of a version of what it looks like...
I have no idea where Ebony has learned it - but she has.
We had a 'difference of opinion' and I had to let her go and work it out on her own.
When I walked back in our room - where she was - she looked up at me with puppy eyes and did a 'mock' dropping of her bottom lip....as if to say 'boo hoo I'm just not happy mummy'. I smiled sweetly at her ('cause I remember only too well what it's like not getting your own way!) and then it happened!!! She put one hand on the bed and then crossed the other one over it and then put her head on her hands....do you get the picture? and to top it off she then let out a short burst of 'crocodile tears'. I stood there totally stunned (whilst trying desperately to stifle my laughter).
Now! I don't do 'drama queen' myself (or at least it doesn't look quite like that :)....so it begs the question - where do they learn things like that?!!! I have no idea, but I must say it was incredibly cute to watch!
Here's a sort of a version of what it looks like...
Snugli
One of the things we found out about the sweet little child that was destined to be ours was that they had 'blankies' in the Orphanage.
I went to work to make one for our girl and it has been with her since the very first night she was with us and she has slept with it on all but about 2 occasions - 1 when I left it at home and 1 when it had to be washed.
This weekend just passed she decided to use it to wipe down the blackboard (!!!). She rarely has it outside her cot - but she sometimes wanders into her room and reaches in and grabs it if she can..this was one of those occasions. Well - I couldn't let her sleep with it in the state it was in, so it had to be washed. Now I have a front-loading washing machine and yes - the cycle takes 2.5 hours (aargh). She didn't do too badly when I had to put her to bed without her 'snugli' - but she was unsettled. I decided it was time....I had everything there to make another one I just hadn't got there yet - so I did it. I made an identical one for her. She now thinks she's in 7th heaven and she is totally tickled that there are two (if she gets to see them together). I've decided one can live in her babybag - the other in her cot. I snuck into her room and dropped it in beside her and needless to say she happily slept for her 3 hours. She doesn't seem to recognize the difference between the two - but I sure can.....here's a piccy for :)
New on the left....old on the right
I went to work to make one for our girl and it has been with her since the very first night she was with us and she has slept with it on all but about 2 occasions - 1 when I left it at home and 1 when it had to be washed.
This weekend just passed she decided to use it to wipe down the blackboard (!!!). She rarely has it outside her cot - but she sometimes wanders into her room and reaches in and grabs it if she can..this was one of those occasions. Well - I couldn't let her sleep with it in the state it was in, so it had to be washed. Now I have a front-loading washing machine and yes - the cycle takes 2.5 hours (aargh). She didn't do too badly when I had to put her to bed without her 'snugli' - but she was unsettled. I decided it was time....I had everything there to make another one I just hadn't got there yet - so I did it. I made an identical one for her. She now thinks she's in 7th heaven and she is totally tickled that there are two (if she gets to see them together). I've decided one can live in her babybag - the other in her cot. I snuck into her room and dropped it in beside her and needless to say she happily slept for her 3 hours. She doesn't seem to recognize the difference between the two - but I sure can.....here's a piccy for :)
New on the left....old on the right
Friday, November 02, 2007
12 months ago today...
It's so hard to believe - but 12 months ago today I thought it would be another day of waiting...another day of feeling hopeless. Never, in our 15 month wait had there been a month where there were no referrals - and that's exactly what happened in October last year. There were rumours that referrals were going to go on hold for some time. It was awful and I will NEVER forget the feeling.
But it did happen. At exactly 7pm Melbourne time (4pm China time) the CCAA website changed - and so did our lives. We had been in Albury/Wodonga all day and I didn't get any calls from anyone, so I assumed the worst. Little did I know (as soon as I walked in the door I checked the CCAA website of course!) - it had happened and we were included. That was a Thursday. I have no idea what happened between then and "the call" that happened on Monday mid morning. We had a 14 month old daughter waiting for us in China. Then it was Cup Day on Tuesday - so we had to wait until Wednesday night to see the picture of the child that I had imagined/dreamed about/believed for....for so, so many years.
Ebony has now been home with us for 10.5 months and she is totally - without question - the light of our lives. She fills our days (and nights at times!) with fun, joy, happiness and love.
Hang in there all those of you waiting. I don't know which dates before Ebony were the most important...but I will NEVER, EVER forget this date I can assure you!
Jen Boote
DH Graham
DD Ebony Grace Huaxing (26.5 months old)
Forever Day 25th December, 2006
But it did happen. At exactly 7pm Melbourne time (4pm China time) the CCAA website changed - and so did our lives. We had been in Albury/Wodonga all day and I didn't get any calls from anyone, so I assumed the worst. Little did I know (as soon as I walked in the door I checked the CCAA website of course!) - it had happened and we were included. That was a Thursday. I have no idea what happened between then and "the call" that happened on Monday mid morning. We had a 14 month old daughter waiting for us in China. Then it was Cup Day on Tuesday - so we had to wait until Wednesday night to see the picture of the child that I had imagined/dreamed about/believed for....for so, so many years.
Ebony has now been home with us for 10.5 months and she is totally - without question - the light of our lives. She fills our days (and nights at times!) with fun, joy, happiness and love.
Hang in there all those of you waiting. I don't know which dates before Ebony were the most important...but I will NEVER, EVER forget this date I can assure you!
Jen Boote
DH Graham
DD Ebony Grace Huaxing (26.5 months old)
Forever Day 25th December, 2006
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